Buffalo Suzuki Strings INC FY2020 filing

Tax-deductible

N Tonawanda, NY501(c)(3)Since 1983Arts & CultureEIN 13-3263534Revenue $767K in FY2020

On file with the IRSbuffalosuzukistrings.org4 Webster St, 14120-5810 · N Tonawanda, NYTax-exempt since Nov 1983Publicly supported — 509(a)(2)

This page gets seen. Tell your story. Claim this org.

To teach children about music in a manner consistent with the philosophy and pedagogy developed by Dr. Shinichi Suzuki. We are dedicated to achieving excellence in music education by supporting a strong partnership of parents, teachers, students, and the community in a nurturing environment.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
69¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$102K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2020 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $45K a year · 7% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
69%
of spending
Fine: 69% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$102K
to officers and key staff · 19% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 19% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 5.1 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
4
named funders · $48K
Looks good: 4 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$85K
5% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 5% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 11 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 11 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$767K
Spent
$527K
To programs
69%
Net assets
$1.5M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$767K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$767K
FY2021$602K
FY2022$606K
FY2023$665K
FY2024$734K
FY2025$647K
Expenses
$527K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$527K
FY2021$529K
FY2022$574K
FY2023$654K
FY2024$775K
FY2025$693K
Net assets
$1.5M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.5M
FY2021$1.7M
FY2022$1.6M
FY2023$1.6M
FY2024$1.6M
FY2025$1.6M

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending July 2020) · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Nov 1983.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

69 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 69% · $366K Management & general 31% · $161K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? The org can add a note here. Claim this org to fix it.

Who runs it and what they're paid

11 people listed on the 990; $102K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
Co-Executive Director & Fa
$57,048Pt VII · Sec A
Co-Executive Director & Fa
$44,930Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Trustee
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Mary Cay Neal’s $63K as Co-Executive Director is at the 58th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2215 $100K–1M arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Mary Cay Neal$63,448$61,329$57,450$50,105$41,425$44,930
Lauren Eastlack$56,790$44,015$50,895$55,184$55,557$57,048

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Buffalo Suzuki Strings INC executive salaries →

Are you one of these people? Claim this org to confirm your role

Something off? The org can add a note here. Claim this org to fix it.

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Teaches children music using the Suzuki method, fostering a supportive community for excellence.

Questions for Buffalo Suzuki Strings INC

Tap to ask. Buffalo Suzuki Strings INC sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Buffalo Suzuki Strings INC answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this organization? Claim it to add your story

1 program · $366K · in their own filed words · FY2019
01

Buffalo suzuki strings provides a complete and comprehensive music education for children from birth to age 18. We teach private lessons and group enrichment classes in violin, viola, cello, piano, classical guitar and harp for students ages 3-18 and early childhood suzuki music for children from birth to age 3.

$366Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
See all 4 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$767K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$403K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$317K
Investment incomeLn 3$40K
Money outPt IX
$527K
Ln 25
Programscol B$366K
Managementcol C$161K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.5M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$225K
Total assetsLn 16$1.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$85K
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a11
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$317K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$95K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$403K
Investment incomeLn 3$40K
Other incomeLn 4–11$7K
Gains on assetsLn 7$26K
Total revenueLn 12$767K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$191K
SavingsLn 2$34K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$225K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$735K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$631K
Total assetsLn 16$1.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$85K
Net assetsLn 32$1.5M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 514
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderJuly
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$192K$225K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$492K$735K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$596K$631K
Total assetsLn 16$1.3M$1.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$68K$85K
Net assetsLn 32$1.2M$1.5M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$102K$37K$65K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$242K$175K$67K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$21K$13K$8K
Payroll taxesLn 10$24K$15K$9K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$5K$4K$488
Advertising and promotionLn 12$295$265$30
Office expensesLn 13$2K$2K$250
OccupancyLn 16$12K$10K$1K
TravelLn 17$1K$1K$143
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$66K$60K$7K
InsuranceLn 23$10K$9K$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$35K$33K$2K
All other expensesLn 24e$6K$6K$102
Total functional expensesLn 25$527K$366K$161K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $647K$693K−$46K$1.6M 990 PDF
FY2024 $734K$775K−$42K$1.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 $665K$654K$11K$1.6M 990 PDF
FY2022 $606K$574K$32K$1.6M 990 PDF
FY2021 $602K$529K$74K$1.7M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $767K$527K$240K$1.5M 990 PDF

Want to add your own materials alongside these filings? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $766,762 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $202,574$316,539
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $413,428$402,891
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $19,675$40,384
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,768$6,948
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $637,445$766,762
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $381,102$388,784
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $156,953$138,310
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $538,055$527,094
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $99,390$239,668
Part VI · Governance 9 of 11 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body11
VI-1b Independent voting members9
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $766,762 across 9 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $358 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$316,539
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$94,749
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$316,539
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $402,891$402,891
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $14,220$14,220
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $1,200$1,200
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $26,164$26,164
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $5,390$5,390
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $402,891 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $47,332$766,762
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $527,094 across 13 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $36,978 · Management $65,000$101,978
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $175,281 · Management $66,920$242,201
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $12,781 · Management $7,943$20,724
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $14,728 · Management $9,153$23,881
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $4,387 · Management $488$4,875
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $265 · Management $30$295
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $2,247 · Management $250$2,497
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $10,423 · Management $1,158$11,581
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,288 · Management $143$1,431
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $59,620 · Management $6,625$66,245
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $9,212 · Management $1,024$10,236
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $32,786 · Management $2,339$35,125
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $5,923 · Management $102$6,025
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $365,919 · Management $161,175 · Fundraising $0$527,094
Part X · Balance sheet $1,613,254 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $154,077$190,812
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $38,236$33,973
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $28,332$19,449
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $1,776$3,292
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $596,076$630,572
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $491,826$735,156
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,310,323$1,613,254
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,535$4,222
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $66,420$7,200
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payable$74,026
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $67,955$85,448
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,242,368$1,477,806
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictions$50,000
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,242,368$1,527,806
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,310,323$1,613,254
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,527,806 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$766,762
XI-2 Total expenses$527,094
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$239,668
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,242,368
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$45,770
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,527,806

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

If you ARE the filing organization, claim this org and add context

Made it to the end? Claim this organization

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.